Viburnum plant named ‘PIIVIB-II’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Viburnum plicata  plant named ‘PIIVIB-II’ that is characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit, its stems with new growth that is red in color, its floriferous blooming habit, even on young plants, its flowers that are white in color and tinted with light green and its foliage that is ovate in shape, with impressed veins, and deep green in color turning red-purple in fall and winter.

Botanical classification: Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum.

Variety denomination: ‘PIIVIB-II’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viburnumplicatum f. plicatum. The new Viburnum will hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘PIIVIB-II’. ‘PIIVIB-II’ represents a new cultivar of deciduousshrub grown for use as an ornamental landscape plant.

The new cultivar is the result of a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Watkinsville, Ga. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop a new cultivar of Viburnum plicatum f.plicatum that has a compact mounded growth habit, new stems that emergered in color and a more floriferous blooming habit with larger flowers.

The new cultivar derived from open-pollination of Viburnum plicatum f.plicatum ‘Spellbound’ (not patented) in 2009. ‘PIIVIB-II’ was selectedin 2012 as a single unique plant from the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by one ofthe Inventors using semi-hardwood stem cuttings in June of 2012 inWatkinsville, Ga. Asexual propagation by semi-hardwood stem cuttings hasdetermined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘PIIVIB-II’ as a unique cultivar of Viburnum.

-   -   1. ‘PIIVIB-II’ exhibits a compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. ‘PIIVIB-II’ exhibits stems with new growth that is red in        color.    -   3. ‘PIIVIB-II’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit, even on        young plants.    -   4. ‘PIIVIB-II’ exhibits flowers that are white in color and        tinted with light green.    -   5. ‘PIIVIB-II’ exhibits foliage that is ovate in shape, with        impressed veins, and deep green in color turning red-purple in        fall and winter.

‘Spellbound’, the female parent of ‘PIIVIB-II’, differs from ‘PIIVIB-II’in having an upright to columnar plant habit, in having stems with newgrowth that is brown in color, in having a less floriferous bloominghabit with flowers that are smaller in size. ‘PIIVIB-II’ can be mostclosely compared to Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum cultivars‘Grandiflorum’ (not patented) and ‘Mary Milton’ (not patented).‘Grandiflorum’ is similar to ‘PIIVIB-II’ in having terminal cymes ofwhite flowers, in having foliage that is dark green in color withimpressed veins. ‘Grandiflorum’ differs from ‘PIIVIB-II’ in having anupright and horizontal branching habit, in having foliage that isrounded to elliptical in shape, in having flowers that are tinted pinkand light green in color and in having new stem growth that is brown incolor. ‘Mary Milton’ is similar to ‘PIIVIB-II’ in having a terminalflower cyme and in having foliage that is dark green in color withveins. ‘Mary Milton’ differs from ‘PIIVIB-II’ in having an upright planthabit, in having foliage with reddish bronze tinge on new growth, inhaving flowers that open white-green in color turning to pink and thenwhite to pinkish white, and in having new stem growth that is brown incolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new cultivar. The plant in thephotographs is about 4 years in age as grown outdoors in a trial gardenin Watkinsville, Ga.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘PIIVIB-II’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘PIIVIB-II’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘PIIVIB-II’ .

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Viburnum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 4 year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in a trial garden in Watkinsville, Ga. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—From mid April to mid May in Watkinsville,            Ga.        -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, freely branched, and mounded.        -   Plant size.—An average of 1.52 m in height and spread in the            landscape of as a 4 year-old plant.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—No resistance to diseases or pests has            been observed.        -   Root description.—Numerous, fleshy, well branched and 155A            in color.        -   Root habit.—Dense, freely branching and 155A in color.        -   Root development.—Roots initiate in 5 to 6 weeks at 32° C.            and produce a rooted young plant in summer about 3 months at            32° C.        -   Propagation.—Semi-hardwood stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate.-   Branch description:    -   -   Branch shape.—Rounded.        -   Branch color.—Young branches; 183B, mature branches; 200A.        -   Branch size.—84 to 110 cm in length and an average of 4 mm            in diameter.        -   Branch surface.—Glabrous, young stems pubescent, mature            stems smooth and glabrous.        -   Branch strength.—Strong.        -   Branching.—Average of 7 lateral branches, freely branching            (pinching increases branching).        -   Internode size.—Average of 2 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Single.        -   Leaf base.—Rounded to cordate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, both surfaces 144C in color.        -   Leaf margins.—Serrate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces pubescent.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 6 cm in length and 5 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 28 per lateral branch 56 cm in            length.        -   Leaf color.—New growth upper surface; 143A, new growth lower            surface; 143B, mature growth upper surface; 141A, mature            growth lower surface 139C, fall and winter foliage upper            surface; N79A, fall and winter foliage lower surface; N79C.        -   Petioles.—Average of 1.5 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter,            surface pubescent and 183B in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal cyme.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 2 weeks with            individual flowers lasting about 1 week.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 5 cm in height and 7 cm in            diameter.        -   Inflorescence number.—One per lateral stem.        -   Flower number.—An average of 175 flowers per inflorescence.        -   Flower fragrance.—Faint, pleasant fragrance.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright and outward.        -   Flower size.—An average of 1 cm in diameter and 6 mm in            height.        -   Flower buds.—An average of 5 cm in length and 3 mm in            diameter, oval to oblong in shape, 155D in color, surface            glabrous with sepal portion pubescent.        -   Peduncles.—Strong in strength, average of 2.2 cm in length            and 3 mm in width, 183B in color, surface is stellate            pubescent, held at various angles to stem.        -   Pedicels.—Moderate strength, an average of 1 cm in length            and 5 mm in width, 183B in color, surface is stellate            pubescent, held at various angles to peduncle.        -   Petals.—Average of 4 to 5 petals in a single whorl, fused at            base, elliptic in shape, entire margins, obtuse to rounded            apex, both surfaces smooth, 1 cm in length and width, color            upper surface when opening and fully open; NN155D and tinted            with 158B and 157B, color lower surface when opening and            fully open; NN155D and tinted with 158B.        -   Sepals.—2, primarily obtuse in shape, serrate margins,            rounded apex, both surfaces pubescent, 4 mm in length, 2 mm            in width, color of inner and outer surfaces 141A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Average of 5, anther; is 1 mm in length, oblong in            shape, 161A in color, filament; an average of 1 mm in length            and 157A in color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 10B in            color.        -   Pistils.—Average of 1, average of 1 cm in length, style is            an average of 1 mm in length and 143D in color, stigma is            round in shape and 178A in color, ovary is 144C in color.        -   Seed and fruit.—Has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Viburnum plant named‘PIIVIB-II’ as herein illustrated and described.